What Are Your Pet Peeves with Owning Birds?

[LeeC]

...and I really don't ask him to step up too often, because if he wants to be near me, he'll fly to my shoulder and follow.
(Fun fact about this habit: I've gotten so used to the fluttering wings, rapidly beating to catch up to me, that I'll stop dead in my tracks until I feel his little nails curl into my shirt. Then I walk forward)

That is fantastic! I look forward to Grady, my TAG, doing more of this. He and I are still new to one another, but it has happened a few times.


Thanks for sharing. I had thought of posting an informational notice, for my house guests, explaining the very basics of birds. Perhaps I should include a good photo of a bloody, bitten finger. :]

 

[Betrisher]

... and another thing! I'm a bit over birdophobes! I know two: my cousin (whom I'm not especially close to) and a close family friend. Both carry on like a pork chop near birds and my cousin (who is seventy and a respectable pharmacist) will run shrieking away if one of my (caged) birds even walks toward her. The family friend has spoiled more than one outing with us when he rushed to his car to 'hide' from kookaburras who came to share our barbecue. He even *demanded* that we moved Dominic's cage out-of-doors on a cold winter afternoon because he was 'anxious' that the bird might hurt him (he was in his cage!!!).

I know, I know: phobias are real (I have a couple meself). But to carry on about a *caged* bird? That's just irrational and silly. Hah! Bumbug!

 

[munami]

@Betrisher
While I understand that phobias are exactly that, irrational and silly, it's just cruel to ask for a bird to put outside in the winter. Even if I'm phobic of spiders, I would never hurt a spider just because it's in my way or something of the like.

 

[Betrisher]

Don't worry, munami: the bird stayed indoors and the friend went home.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

@Betrisher
While I understand that phobias are exactly that, irrational and silly, it's just cruel to ask for a bird to put outside in the winter. Even if I'm phobic of spiders, I would never hurt a spider just because it's in my way or something of the like.

Dearest Munami, if you would never hurt a spider then you haven't met a 'huntsman'. I went for coffee beans in the pantry this morning and a huntsman ran across my hand. I startled Ellie with my shriek and sent my hubby running to the rescue. He saves spiders, flies etc...but today he asked if I would like him to kill it or set it free...I said kill it...he didn't, just laughed at me LOL...

 

[Ellie777Australia]

Don't worry, munami: the bird stayed indoors and the friend went home.

LOL ...I like your priorities Betrisher. Much like mine, if you don't like my bird, my dog, my chooks - don't visit

 

[Betrisher]

LOL! Years ago, I kept fancy mice. Not everyone knows this, but rodents have a very distinctive, very pongy stench about them and not everyone can cope with it. My mice, despite having their cages cleaned out every single day, absolutely STANK! Therefore, I found out very quickly which friends were true kindred spirits and which were friends despite my animals.

Everyone should keep mice at least once in his life. They're such funny, clever, easy little creatures. They learn tricks very quickly and come to love you like mad. I had the *best* time, figuring out new and better toys and mazes to keep their little mousie minds occupied. The only drawback is that they live for just two or three years... and that's why we had to stop. It just got too hard, digging tiny graves every so often.

My Ellie (daughter) is a spidophobe. Twenty-five years of careful training means she no longer carries on like a pork chop when one appears, but with huntsmen she just can't control herself. She squeals and runs blindly away! Then, she quietly calls for her brother to come and remove the offending spider. My son, Matt, is autistic and he loves animals more than anyone I know, even me. The sound of Ellie swearing at the spider and the conflicting one of Matt whispering sweet nothings to it as he gently releases it in the garden can be quite funny.

I don't mind a huntsman. I can even pick one up in my hands if need be. However, I do draw the line at Funnel Webs, one of which hopped onto the back of my hand one day while I was gardening. I was lucky enough to pause and think before reacting. One quick swipe with my second-best trowel and a brief tap-dance sent Mr FW off to meet his maker. I don't muck around with those buggers! :22_yikes:

 

[CallumConure]

Apologies for late replies, I've been so tired and busy. Plus... I sunburned the top of my head! Grr. Weird when you have an itch on the top of your crown and it just burns to try to get the little itch. I live in upper Midwestern America, so our summers get pretty intense here. Standing outside when it's sunny and 82 degrees F (~ 27-28 degrees C) is absolutely miserable.

Okay, time for responses.
People on Craigslist/Kijiji! *facepalms* I took Callum home for $300 USD, not including cage, his bajillion toys, bajillion food and water bowls, and just about anything else he needs. People definitely see animals as just a money thing. Anyone who asks more than a $100 on Craigslist is just looking to sell, not rehome. I SORT OF understand a small rehoming fee, to keep away the flippers and to keep away the bad type of impulse purchasing (those who buy a bird to get a bird and have zero worry for the bird's safety and have no intention of researching and keeping the bird healthy), but ideally I'd like that they hand over the animal(s).

I frequently pick up unwanted pet rats off of Craigslist. While I would love to take the animals for free, some people immediately stop responding to you when you won't offer money and some of the rats I've picked up rats in some.... Bad conditions. Really bad. I'd rather pay to get the rats out of the situation than have them be sold as snake food or to someone unaware of what owning rats are like. As someone's already mentioned, mice are clever little buggers and rats are no different! Mine know their names, how to get kisses, what treats are, etc. Rats are smart enough to learn and remember commands/tricks, grieve over lost mischief members, seek their human out for love and comfort, etc. Are rats for everyone? No. Would I recommend a rat for everyone? So long as they're ready to fall deeply in love with such a tiny creature and then say goodbye almost as soon. It broke my heart to lose my baby, Gideon. They very much feel like miniature dogs with bald tails and long whiskers.

At least where I live, people who own birds seem to be incredibly rude... I'm not saying every bird owner is rude or whatever, just for whatever reason, I run into the really mean ones. And they all live at least two hours away and I'm just 30mins from my state's capitol... Maybe the means ones are attracted to Craigslist and that's how I meet them Shame, if that's how it is.


I'm a bit possessive in the fact that I don't like people just walking straight into where Callum is sitting and just getting in his face. He's patient to a point, but the instant that's crossed, he gets crabby and then I deal with that long after they're gone. He and I usually have screaming fests to relieve stress afterwards LOL! I scream into a pillow, he hears me, immediately responds, I do it again, and it continues on... I know, I need new friends who can handle this extremely exotic and fascinating thing that is my little Callum.


As for the horsey, her name is Patches. The vet recommended that she continues walking the affected leg so that it doesn't become stiff and scar in a way that'll affect movement after the healing process is done. She's definitely improved since last Friday. She's walking a lot better and I'm keeping the area clean. Only problem is the horse flies. They love to land next to her injury and even with her and I's relationship, someone could pay me and I still wouldn't slap a horse fly right next to her wound.... I'll get the other spots though. I guess I'm a bit of the little miracle worker with her around the ranch. She's a stubborn old lady that loves to follow me around. Even the ranch owner can't always get her to do things and once I step in, she'll do what she's asked like "Fiiiiiiiine...."

I was honestly a little scared coming in last Monday. I was afraid she wouldn't make it the weekend. Thankfully she did. I guess me getting involved made her adamant that she wasn't going anywhere yet.

The vet also told us to keep the area as dry as possible and let it do the draining. She's had shots of antibiotics and painkillers as this has progressed, so she's not going at it alone.

Never been shot with a BB and don't know that I intend to ever try it. I already have poor knees for being in my early 20's.


I totally understand wanting to be a Mauler when you meet/see an animal for the first time. I understand the want to feel and experience a rat for the very first time. But those who have met the animal, yet constantly need to handle, pet, bug, etc. the rat need to back off a bit. My rats are incredibly tolerant and quite loving, but they do need personal time, away from the humans.

Ugh, it frustrates me for those people who treat budgies and finches differently! When I first got my little Burd, I was definitely in the same boat of "oh, he's just a little parakeet, he isn't like a real parrot." Now that I have a "real parrot" I know better. Makes me mad and embarrassed that I thought that way and try to teach others differently. However, for someone interested into getting a "real parrot" one day, I would definitely recommend a budgie first with PROPER care so people can get the feel of a bird. Of course, Burd was and never would have been as loud as Callum, as messy as Callum, but he craved my attention and love just as much as Callum. In my books, if someone can handle the budgie sqwuaks, they MAY be able to handle the parrot shrieks. Never hurts to meet the bird of your dreams first.

As for just jamming two birds together with zero care for the aftereffects.... Jeez. Feel like someone of that age should know better, especially when it's not even their bird to begin with!

One day, I'd love to get a little backpack for Callum and bring him out with me. I'd probably have the backpack on my chest just so he can see me and feels a little safer. I'm sure he'd love to see the world from outside my home...

Anyone who gets mad when my animal bites them is generally removed from my life instantly. Huge dealbreaker for me-- if you can't handle my animals, you can't handle me. I always value my animals first, sorry sweetheart. I have yet to have a backstabbing bird or a lying rat. Even my snake is more honorable than some people. (To those who are concerned, no the snake is not in the same room as any of my animals, none of my animals are fed to the snake, and the snake is never handled when the birds or rats are out).

I understand animal phobias until it becomes "You have to move YOUR bird out of YOUR house because I'M here and I'M afraid of birds." Bird was here first and bird tends to be a better companion. Sorry, but the bird stays, you can leave. Plus, I generally don't appreciate people bossing me around in my own home or with my companions.

I have arachnophobia, but I can handle a caged tarantula. Where I live in the US, we're MOSTLY free of venomous spiders, but yeah. If the animal makes me uncomfortable, I'll just decline from going over there and making a fuss.

One last thing about rats-- my boys never stink! Litterboxes and litterbox trained rats are a dream. I also do clean them and their cage frequently. I have an all-male group, intact, and they all live in harmony, beg for kisses, beg for treats, and are just great cuddlebuddies.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

People cringe at the word "rat"..Everyone associates them as vermon running amok in the streets/subways of NYC :20: I have seen "pet" rats at pet stores. I have never interacted with a rat either. They were/are always considered as "pests" and disease caring critters by mom and dad growing up. I am 63y.o. and I'd prolly want to see/handle one close-up now.

As a late teen/early twenty year old my oldest brother (r.i.p. Tommy) and his family had five or six Ferrets...now THOSE are crazy critters lmao! I would sit for hours watching them run/jump/fly/climb/crawl/chew etc etc etc anywhere and anything they could get themselves into LMAO..

Anyway,getting off track here ...now where were we??? lol.


Jim

 

[Betrisher]

Wow, CallumConure, we have so much in common!

I tried litter training my mice, but never did manage it. I wasn't too concerned, since I lost my sense of smell many years ago. I just loved 'em!

Ahem. May I just say that budgies *are* 'real parrots'! They're every bit as clever as the larger species and can learn tricks every bit as complex as their larger cousins. I had a friend once whose budgie could pick out the faces of the monarchs of Great Britain on a poster. Cathy would say 'Henry the Second' or 'Mary of Orange' and Marvin would fly to the poster and peck at the appropriate photo. Just like other pocket pets, budgies often get a bad rap and don't deserve it.

Like you, I also had a colony of male mice and they lived together in peace and harmony, ruled over by their Dad, Stewart. He was a gorgeous Dutch mouse with fluffy black and white fur and the longest tail. He would call all his boys to him at eleven o'clock every day and they would all snuggle together in a terra cotta plant pot. It was such a relief to be able to keep the lads together! I'd have hated to have had to pass them on to someone else: they were lovely.

You might try smearing some Vicks Vaporub around Patches' wound to ward off flies (taking extreme care not to get any inside the wound). Rubbing pyrethrum daisy leaves helps as well, but you might not have any in your hip pocket? Australia is the world capital of flies, so we take them very seriously. I'm so glad Patches is being cared for so well and thank you for doing that. Many wouldn't bother.

Thirty years ago, a horse belonging to my sister and me got his hoof caught in a loop of barbed wire. By the time we found him, he had lost a lot of blood and the wound was seriously infected. The vet wanted to shoot him, but we refused. Instead, we packed the wound with a poultice and kept it bound up and clean. We walked him every day for a few minutes and hosepiped the wound for hours and hours and hours. He made a full recovery and went on to win the NSW State Pony Club jumping championship for my younger niece. It just goes to show that if you're willing to put in the effort, you can achieve a lot for an animal. But you already knew that!

 

[CallumConure]

People definitely do cringe at the word "rat" but that cringe is usually wiped clean when I present them with my rats. Before one of my rats developed a brain tumor, he'd give kisses unprovoked and would just cuddle and sleep on me. He's still a sweetheart, he just doesn't give kisses anymore and is in pretty bad shape. My poor baby.

Rats are almost like ferrets. Mine just had two hours to run around the bathroom. They'll hop and jump and run around, climb and get into things they're not supposed to, climb onto me, a few will just sit in my lap and ask for cuddles and then give kisses, etc. If I could, I'd have a camera on my pets all day and just watch what they're doing.

Oh shoot, we're definitely waaaaaaaaay off topic. Quick, someone come up with another pet peeve!


Apologies Betrisher. I struggle to turn thoughts into words, so I didn't mean "real parrots" as in intelligent beings. Budgies are definitely intelligent and fantastic little birds. My Burd was a smart little guy. He and I had worked on a few tricks, but never got very far. A lot of basic things such as asking him to fly to me, step up and down, etc. He was a very complex little bird. Unfortunately, while I don't doubt Pidgey's intelligence, her and I haven't bonded in a way that I can see her intelligence and mentally engage her. Her and I are still working on a relationship after Burd's death

Well, also. Burd did learn to say a few unsavory things. Never anything like swears or naughty words, just... burps and farts. It was funny to listen to this tiny, blue budgie make raspberry noises all day. He lived in a daycare and heard those noises a lot lol. He was also incredible with the children and was very tolerant of them. They could hold and pet him, so long as they were gentle and didn't scare him.

I meant to say budgies as in a great starter bird and then "real parrots" being more advanced. I'unno, maybe I still do view budgies as less complex than conures, amazons, macaws, etc. I don't mean to sound that way. I just think budgies are a great entry bird into the parrot world, especially if you would like to adopt/rescue another type of parrot one day. Budgies still do require a diet beyond a few seeds, still make a mess, still make noise, still love to learn, etc. I guess the only reason I would classify them a starter bird is because even at Burd's loudest, he wouldn't be able to disturb neighbors. Callum? Ehhhh.... debatable. I'm glad I got Burd before Callum, it really sort of introduced me to "birds can and will be loud, the bigger they are, the louder they are."

Anyways, I digress. Budgies are incredibly intelligent and a lot more complex than people give them credit for. The next Einstein bird should be a budgie! I'll get Pidgey working on that title, lol!

My male rats are absolutely fantastic together. I've seen and heard of rats who'll take care of each other. I've seen rats physically drag each other into hides if one can't get in, I've seem them bring food, ask to groom each other, etc. Rats are lovely little creatures. It would break my heart to lose any of my babies.

Hmm, I will definitely have to look into the Vicks vaporub! Never seen or heard of it. The vet had recommended petroleum jelly just to prevent her leg getting raw from the drainage. She's very good with me applying it and cleaning it off. She'll give me a look if I wander too close to her wound, though!

I'll have to ask the stable owner. Patches isn't mine, unfortunately. I'm just the one who rides her and takes care of her. We'll see what they say!

It's sad how some people are so quick to suggest euthanasia, whether humane or not. I'm glad your horse made a full recovery! Always a little difficult when they're such large animals like that and don't always like to cooperate.


OKAY. PET PEEVES.

HMM... It annoys me when... people think I'm extra for constantly buying bird toys. I've had people ask why I spend so much money on Callum and Pidgey. It's because I love them to death and would do anything for them.

Has anyone ever had people try to offer your animals food? I'm not an ultra fan of when people try to give food to my animals. Like, I don't have a label for every food item in existence and I don't want Callum just to eat whatever someone offers him. People have done this to my rats. Ugh, annoys me so much. "Oh, they're just rats! Rats eat anything!" Just because they do in the wild doesn't mean they should in captivity.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

LOL! Years ago, I kept fancy mice. Not everyone knows this, but rodents have a very distinctive, very pongy stench about them and not everyone can cope with it. My mice, despite having their cages cleaned out every single day, absolutely STANK! Therefore, I found out very quickly which friends were true kindred spirits and which were friends despite my animals.

Everyone should keep mice at least once in his life. They're such funny, clever, easy little creatures. They learn tricks very quickly and come to love you like mad. I had the *best* time, figuring out new and better toys and mazes to keep their little mousie minds occupied. The only drawback is that they live for just two or three years... and that's why we had to stop. It just got too hard, digging tiny graves every so often.

My Ellie (daughter) is a spidophobe. Twenty-five years of careful training means she no longer carries on like a pork chop when one appears, but with huntsmen she just can't control herself. She squeals and runs blindly away! Then, she quietly calls for her brother to come and remove the offending spider. My son, Matt, is autistic and he loves animals more than anyone I know, even me. The sound of Ellie swearing at the spider and the conflicting one of Matt whispering sweet nothings to it as he gently releases it in the garden can be quite funny.

I don't mind a huntsman. I can even pick one up in my hands if need be. However, I do draw the line at Funnel Webs, one of which hopped onto the back of my hand one day while I was gardening. I was lucky enough to pause and think before reacting. One quick swipe with my second-best trowel and a brief tap-dance sent Mr FW off to meet his maker. I don't muck around with those buggers! :22_yikes:

LOL...CallumConure will love you for being a 'mousie-girl'...CallumConure has pet rats...and loves stinky rats


The funnel web (FW) experience definitely beats Mr.Huntsman experience. I'll take a huntsman any day compared with the FW

 

[Ellie777Australia]

People definitely do cringe at the word "rat" but that cringe is usually wiped clean when I present them with my rats. Before one of my rats developed a brain tumor, he'd give kisses unprovoked and would just cuddle and sleep on me. He's still a sweetheart, he just doesn't give kisses anymore and is in pretty bad shape. My poor baby...

LOL...you were posting at the same time as me.....I knew that you would love Betrisher's mouse story....and horse situation....etc...

 

[Betrisher]

CallumConure and Ellie777, I think we've come up with the Ultimate Peeve between us: people who simply don't understand the need to have animals in one's life. People who say 'I don't know why you keep that bird/mouse/rat/horse/dog/cat/whatever'. People who don't get why your animals' comfort is more important than your own. People who will kick their pets outside in the rain or cold because it might be 'dirty' or inconvenient to have them inside. People who treat animals like animated stuffed toys instead of giving them credit for having living hearts and souls.

I think anyone who owns an animal loves all creatures to some degree or another. And anyone who wouldn't just doesn't understand that wonderful bond. It's why you, CallumConure, take care of your horses and birds and rats. It's why I'm working with my hyperactive Rosetta instead of sending her to a sanctuary somewhere. It's why all of us do what we do. The privilege of sharing one's home and life with animals is so enormous and one we don't take for granted. Lucky us, eh?

PS. Vicks Vaporub *is* petroleum jelly, only it has menthol and other aromatics added to it. It's meant to clear your head when you have a cold or help aching joints. It has other uses, though. It helps keep flies off horses (don't put it near their eyes, though - although if you put a very, very light smear under the eyes of a sick child, it will help them sleep). It also keeps aphids off roses bushes if you smear it around the rootstock. The ants won't cross it, so can't bring aphids to colonise the rose. (Must tell Umarkhanmardan, whose rose garden is *amazing*!) See if your pharmacy keeps it among the cold remedies.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

CallumConure and Ellie777, I think we've come up with the Ultimate Peeve between us: people who simply don't understand the need to have animals in one's life. People who say 'I don't know why you keep that bird/mouse/rat/horse/dog/cat/whatever'. People who don't get why your animals' comfort is more important than your own. People who will kick their pets outside in the rain or cold because it might be 'dirty' or inconvenient to have them inside. People who treat animals like animated stuffed toys instead of giving them credit for having living hearts and souls.

I think anyone who owns an animal loves all creatures to some degree or another. And anyone who wouldn't just doesn't understand that wonderful bond. It's why you, CallumConure, take care of your horses and birds and rats. It's why I'm working with my hyperactive Rosetta instead of sending her to a sanctuary somewhere. It's why all of us do what we do. The privilege of sharing one's home and life with animals is so enormous and one we don't take for granted. Lucky us, eh?

PS. Vicks Vaporub *is* petroleum jelly, only it has menthol and other aromatics added to it. It's meant to clear your head when you have a cold or help aching joints. It has other uses, though. It helps keep flies off horses (don't put it near their eyes, though - although if you put a very, very light smear under the eyes of a sick child, it will help them sleep). It also keeps aphids off roses bushes if you smear it around the rootstock. The ants won't cross it, so can't bring aphids to colonise the rose. (Must tell Umarkhanmardan, whose rose garden is *amazing*!) See if your pharmacy keeps it among the cold remedies.

Agree with our mutual pet peeve...I have to do a lot of laundry for my dog and bird because they like to join us on the couch/chair/bed (Ellie not in bed - on perch above bed in safe zone from Mom's flailing arms LOL)...use sheet and blanket protectors just so that they can snuggle up with us everywhere LOL...

 

[CallumConure]

Aw yes, the ultimate pet peeve. "Why must you keep that animal?"

I actually had to move about two or so years ago. Completely unprepared and had no warning. I live with my grandmother (for college and stuff) and she had a kidney transplant. She's fine now, but we had to sell the house because she had to quit her job and couldn't afford it anymore. We sold it before we could lose it. Unfortunately, my animals were exposed to a lot of paint fumes and whatnot because we just had to prepare the house. Thankfully, everyone made it through and I did my best to block them off into rooms without the smell and we did move them to my aunt's. We didn't have another house lined up and roomed with my aunt for a few months.

Lemme tell you, it was fun teaching Callum his two quiet commands. Callum is a very loud and very vocal bird, so he and I couldn't call to each other, I had to keep him from getting excited, etc. It wasn't fun for either of us

Anyways, one of the biggest thing was finding a place that allowed my rats and bird and reptiles. My grandmother and I had quite a few spats over keeping the animals and not able to find a home that would allow them. A lot of tears were shed. That question of "Do you really have to keep your rats and birds?" came up a lot.

We did find a home, because I absolutely refused to back down on keeping my babies. There had been talks between my therapist and I on what he could do to keep them safe. I struggle a lot with depression, anxiety, the whole spiel and they've kept some of the darker sides of depression away. We've actually thought about giving my rats or Callum the honorary title of Emotional Support Animal (for non-Americans who may have not heard of this term, ESA's are pets that stay home and offer mental support their mentally ill humans. These animals aren't permitted in public settings, but a lot of people abuse this unregulated system and ESA's tend to get a bad rap. These are different from service dogs, because they aren't trained to do task to mitigate the human's disability, another huge problem with ESA's is people routinely call them service animals when they are NOT). We didn't end up legally naming any of them ESA, but we have chatted from time to time, since my therapist sees me constantly interacting with my animals and seeking their comfort.

Anyways, I DIGRESS. Yes, that question of why do I keep so many animals is definitely one of my biggest pet peeves. Sorry for the huge story and whatever.

People who treat their companions as nothing more than stuffed animals, filthy toys, etc. disgust me. On the rat forum I'm in, we actually had this very discussion of how people who don't truly care for animals shouldn't have animals. Some of the biggest complaints is "they smell, they're loud, they make a mess, etc." really bugs me. I'd give anything to always have my animals and care for them until the end. People who view animals as lesser or just as decorations bug tf out of me.



Ooooh, interesting. I'll definitely have to look into it. I may need some too for my cruddy knees, lol!

 

[Betrisher]

Wow, CallumConure, you've had a rough trot over time! I hope things go a lot more smoothly for you from now on. I think depression and anxiety can be greatly improved by owning animals for lots and lots of reasons. It's good to see you're smart enough to know that too! If nothing else, the need to clean, feed and care for your animals gives a depressed person a reason to get out of bed. Of course, the unconditional love you get in returns helps no end as well. Please tell your grandmother a cheery 'G'day' from Trish in Australia. I think she's a very nice lady to help you keep your companions, even though she doesn't quite get why they're so important to you.

My Mum was like that. She gave me a collie puppy when I was five. Then, she gave me an animal encyclopaedia when I was six. The rest is history. She dealt with numerous dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, tortoises, snakes, frogs, fish, ponies, pigeons and parrots over the years. Every time I brought another animal home, she wag her finger and say 'As long as you look after it properly - *properly*, mind - it's fine with me'. So I did and it was. At one time when I was about fifteen we had eight cats (strays), two collies, two aviaries full of native parrots, a tortoise and two horses. Oh, and a tankful of axolotls. And yes, I did all the work to make sure every animal was healthy and happy.

Many years later when I was doing my Zoology degree, poor Mum had to deal with my dissections and a little side hobby of taxidermy. I was so proud of her the day my boyfriend turned up at the door with roadkill as a gift for my twenty-third birthday! She said (in a *very* resigned voice) 'Go on. Put it in the second fridge. And make sure it's wrapped up in seventeen layers!'

So, getting back to the peeve: it's really, *really* nice when people *do* try and understand your need for animals and enable it. <3

 

[Ellie777Australia]

So, getting back to the peeve: it's really, *really* nice when people *do* try and understand your need for animals and enable it. <3

Well said Betrisher

 

[CallumConure]

My grandmother said hello back! As Minnesotans, we talk about the weather a lot, so she asked how's the weather? I understand it's getting cold, depending where you live (friend in Victoria said it's getting chilly).

I think I might just have to visit Australia. I'll move to Victoria, someone said that area doesn't have funnel web spiders and huntsman spiders are rare. I don't mind snakes or crocodiles, just... spiders. I've got you two and someone else in Australia to go visit. Just let me get about $1300 USD for a one-way trip to Australia, not including bringing Callum.

My grandma has stopped me from getting anymore pets lol. I currently have a budgie, a conure, a corgi, eight male rats, two leopard geckos, one African fat tailed gecko, a Cuban false chameleon, an a ball python. If I had my way (and the space), I'd get more parrots and an axolotl. Patches is about the closest I'll have to having a horse.

I was the kid that had watched Animal Planet all day, read every book on animals, wanted every animal I saw, etc.

Lol! My grandmother is definitely putting up with me pursuing a Biology degree and having weird hours for class and lab.

It is an absolute pleasure when people understand (or try to) why you surround yourself with animals. As Ellie and I have talked extensively, the human race can be quite taxing and annoying lol.

 

[OutlawedSpirit]

I think one of my biggest pet peeves, aside from those already mentioned, is "why does it always have to revolve around the bird?"

This usually comes up around planning family holidays, especially when going out of town. Most of the birds stay with a friend, simply because they do not like traveling or they do not like the big family gatherings. Neither if which happen at my friend's house. She just goes to see relatives locally. However, my Amazon loves to go bye bye and he loves being the center of attention.

More than one holiday I have spent home alone because there either wasn't going to be room in the car to take him with or he wasn't going to be welcome where we were going.

Why does everything I do revolve around the bird? Why does everything you do revolve around your kids?

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